No matter the product, businesses equally strive to convert leads to valuable customers. In order to do so, they foster their potential customers throughout their journey from awareness to conversion. Marketers call this process a ‘conversion funnel’ and the best conversion funnels are made possible by email marketing platforms that offer the best marketing automation software solutions.
Yet another industry where the automation of conversion funnel work wonders as a marketing strategy is matching gifts.
When it comes to the non-profit world, every dollar matters. At such a scenario, ‘matching’ gifts turn every dollar into two. To put it simply, matching gifts are donations that a company give to the same non-profit their employee donated to.
‘Matching gifts’ is a great way to show support, and to make the world a better place. After all, all it takes for a company to donate is a request from their employees.
But still, the question remains as of how you will get your donors to ask for a matching gift from their company. Marketing Automation!
Conversion Funnel Basics
Let’s begin with understanding the conversion funnel. Typically, a conversion funnel is differentiated into four or five stages based on which a company uses marketing strategies to guide target audience from finding of the company to taking the desired action which can be buying their services or asking their company for a matching gift. Many businesses also incorporate post-sale activities into the conversion funnel to keep the customers coming back for more services.
As we go forward through the marketing funnel, each stage grows narrower than the previous because not every individual who hears about your offering will be interested, and not every interested individual will go on to ask their company for a matching gift.
Stages Of Marketing Automation Sales Funnel & Matching Gifts
Awareness
The first stage emphasis on activities that help you introduce your brand and your offer to your audiences. Segmentation is critical to this step because targeting the wrong audience can bring down your conversion rate alongside wasting time and blowing your marketing dollars away.
You can employ your website, newsletters, and leverage social media to position your brand. Nevertheless, make sure that you pique the interest of your contacts so that they take the desired action. Use proven templates and marketing automation software solutions as the layouts, copy, and graphics play a key role here in determining the success rate of this stage.
Matching Gift Pages
In order to reap the benefits of your donors’ matching gift program, you will have to invest in setting up an educational matching gifts page to your website. Through a matching gift page, you can provide your donors with the necessary background information about matching gifts, and the companies that will match employee gifts to nonprofits.
Include the following in your matching gift page:
- Benefits that matching gifts offer
- Statistics and data about matching gifts
- A list of companies that match gifts
The bottom line is that you keep your matching gift page a central hub of all the information that your audience requires and could refer to.
Newsletters
Another marketing strategy that you can adapt to spread awareness about matching gifts is to include them in your newsletters. Regularly incorporating information about matching gift in your newsletter can work wonders in bringing you increased matching gift request completions.
You don’t have to work a great deal on making your newsletter look extravagant. Rather, keep it simple with an effective headline, and explain what corporate matching gift programs are.
Remember to give a link that takes your audience to your dedicated matching gift page and include an engaging graphic there as it will make your donors feel compelled to know more about their eligibility.
Social Media
With so much importance being placed on social media these days, nonprofits have made their appearance there to promote matching gifts. Building your presence on social media gives your donors an option to interact with you through their preferred medium other than email.
Additionally, as your loyal donors share information about matching gifts online, there are chances that people from their network who come across their feeds become your new donors.
Consideration
Once you have gained leads from the first stage, it’s time you start cultivating an interest in order for them to move forward and buy your products and services. Use a marketing automation software solution to create attention-grabbing email campaigns such as email autoresponders and drip campaigns.
Email Campaigns
Though we did talk about leveraging social media, you shouldn’t shy away from using email campaigns because it is more effective than you actually think it is.
Your donors will be in the height of giving mood then they are in the donation process. They believe in your cause and want to support it no matter what. Grab this opportunity to send them a strategic automated confirmation or thank you email asking the donors to take a small extra step to take their donation further.
Try including matching gift plugin, or helpful images. Also, be clear about the instruction, and make it sound as simple and easy as it can be.
Action
This is the stage that you have been working for up till now, the time of conversion when a lead decides to take the desired action that you have been guiding them to. This is when your donor asks their company to make a matching gift. As the marketing funnel is now slimming down to its narrow end, you need to bring your sales team in to give that final push.
Your job here is to make taking the action process as simple as possible. Provide clear instructions, and use a marketing automation software tool to send ‘abandoned cart’ emails to try and get back your donors to complete the process. You can also do the following to maximize the results.
- Send an incentive to tempt your leads to convert.
- Highlight statistics and testimonials from other donors
- Abandoned cart emails
Retention
Immediately after your donor completes the desired action and converts, you should start living up to the expectations that you had set up. Make sure that they stay satisfied, and do all that is there in your limit to maintain the relationship.
Fundraising Reminders & Invitations
Event invitations and reminders make donors happy just the way candies make children happy. Invitations for fun fundraising events are always something that donors enjoy receiving.
Keep your invitations compelling. Use a great subject line, and give a review of the past highlights if possible. After the fundraising events, send updates to your donors’ inboxes and follow up with them.
Wrap Up
A perfectly defined sales funnel is a surefire way to increase conversions. Moreover, using automation improves financial metrics and presents your donors with a more satisfactory experience that won’t make them feel like they are being guided down a funnel.
This post was contributed by Luda Greko at ActiveTrail.
Luda Greko is the Head of Content Marketing at ActiveTrail, a leading provider of professional-grade email marketing and automation software for growing businesses. By day she writes for top online marketing sites about email marketing and marketing automation, and by night she is a lifestyle blogger and a social media enthusiast.
Double the Donation Named 2019 Ellucian Partner Award Winner
/0 Comments/in Company Updates /by Hannah SilversDouble the Donation Recognized for Ethos Excellence
Atlanta, GA (October 15, 2019) — Double the Donation announced today that it has been selected as a winner in the 2019 Ellucian Partner Awards in the category of Ethos Excellence. Double the Donation has been recognized by Ellucian for its use of Ethos integration to empower higher education.
When connected to CRM Advance, 360MatchPro by Double the Donation automatically scans gift records for matching gift eligibility. The system then delivers the right forms and instructions to each donor, following up appropriately to drive matches to completion. Thanks to Ellucian Ethos integration, this powerful automation can be activated within minutes, allowing institutions to begin doubling their fundraising revenue instantly.
Delivering its Ethos integration just 30 days after becoming a partner, Double the Donation’s gift matching solution dramatically increases donation dollars by quickly validating each donation for gift matching eligibility.
“It’s an honor to be awarded with the 2019 Ellucian Technology Partner Award for Ethos Excellence,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “We invest deeply in all of our technology partnerships, and this recognition just affirms our commitment to Ellucian as a valued partner for our clients in higher education.”
“We’re proud to recognize our technology partner, Double the Donation, for developing and applying solutions to help higher education institutions achieve sustainable success,” said Ellucian Senior Director, Partnerships Andrea Henry. “We wish our sincere congratulations to Double the Donation and all of the 2019 Partner Awards winners!”
Double the Donation wins 2019 Ellucian Technology Partner Award for Ethos Excellence
Ellucian has the largest partner network in higher education, with more than 170 member organizations. The annual Partner Awards program honors software and solution providers who have made a significant impact in the higher education community. Winning organizations were recognized during Ellucian’s Partner Forum, which took place in Chicago, Illinois in conjunction with the annual EDUCAUSE Conference.
Double the Donation is the leading provider of matching gift and volunteer grant solutions to nonprofits and educational institutions. The 360MatchPro platform provides nonprofits with tools to identify match-eligible donors, drive matches to completion, and gain actionable insights. 360MatchPro integrates directly into Ellucian CRM Advance to capture employment information and follow up appropriately with donors about matching gifts.
Almabase and Double the Donation Announce Integration with 360MatchPro Matching Gift Platform
/0 Comments/in Company Updates, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAtlanta, GA (October 2, 2019) — Alumni engagement and online giving expert Almabase has launched a new partnership with Double the Donation, the leading provider of matching gift and volunteer grant solutions to nonprofits and educational institutions. The features a new integration between Almabase online giving pages and 360MatchPro by Double the Donation.
Trusted by hundreds of higher ed and K12 institutions, Almabase is transforming the world of alumni fundraising. With the ability to integrate with various gift processing systems, Almabase provides a one-stop solution for achieving fundraising goals, acquiring new donors, and enhancing the online giving experience for donors.
The 360MatchPro platform actively identifies donors who are eligible for employer matching gift programs, provides their company’s specific matching gift next steps, and then follows up with them automatically to drive additional revenue to nonprofits. The integration with Almabase automatically adds an employer field onto online giving forms, jumpstarting the matching gift process.
“The schools fundraising through Almabase are all in a unique position to take advantage of employer matching gift programs,” said Kalyan Varma, Co-founder and CEO of Almabase. “Integrating with 360MatchPro allows those schools to automate their matching gift opportunity identification and outreach. This is a huge value-add for schools without adding time-intensive administrative efforts.”
Setup of the integration is easy and only needs to be completed once. After setup is complete, schools have the capability to customize the matching gift follow-up that donors receive.
“Lack of donor awareness is the main contributing factor to schools falling short of their matching gift fundraising potential,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “Using 360MatchPro, schools start to close the $4-7 billion gap in matching gifts left on the table each year.”
360MatchPro identifies more matching gift opportunities than schools could do so manually, then actively and automatically follows up with them to drive a higher percentage of matches to completion than possible with manual outreach. Connecting 360MatchPro to Almabase giving forms ensures that no matching gift opportunity goes unclaimed.
Learn more about Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/ or schedule a private demo of 360MatchPro at https://www.360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
Learn more about Almabase at https://www.almabase.com/.
CharityEngine Exclusively Partners with 360MatchPro by Double the Donation Matching Gifts Platform
/0 Comments/in Company Updates, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAtlanta, GA (September 26, 2019) — CharityEngine is excited to help nonprofits take full advantage of their fundraising potential through a new exclusive partnership with Double the Donation. The 360MatchPro automation matching gift solution by Double the Donation automatically identifies donors who are eligible for employer matching gift programs, then follows up with them to drive matches to completion.
CharityEngine online fundraising can now be integrated with 360MatchPro in minutes. After implementation, nonprofits will instantly begin receiving highly detailed analytics about their donors’ employment, matching gift eligibility, and matching gift submission status.
“The value of this integration to our nonprofit clients are two-fold,” said Leigh Kessler, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for CharityEngine. “First, we’re able to drive increased revenue without donors increasing their donations through employer matching gift programs. But even more exciting is that our nonprofit clients can add an entirely new dimension to their fundraising strategy via insights into where their donors work.”
Nonprofits are currently leaving $4-7 billion in matching gifts on the table, largely because of a lack of donor awareness. The 360MatchPro integration with CharityEngine addresses this gap in donor knowledge of matching gift programs by delivering next steps directly to match-eligible donors on the confirmation page and in follow-up emails.
“Once the matching gift submission process is demystified, donors take advantage of their employer’s programs in huge numbers,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “360MatchPro provides the jump start that donors need after making a donation through CharityEngine forms.”
Specifically, donors receive their next steps at the time of their donation, while they are most actively engaged in supporting their chosen cause and organization. At the time of checkout, donors are presented with the opportunity to search for their employer’s matching gift program details. The name of their company is saved, and they are presented with all the instructions and links they need to get their gift matched.
Learn more about Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/ or schedule a private demo of 360MatchPro at https://www.360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
Learn more about CharityEngine at https://charityengine.net/.
GiveGab Chooses Double the Donation for Matching Gifts Integration
/0 Comments/in Company Updates, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAtlanta, GA (September 9, 2019) — In an exciting move, Double the Donation is proud to announce that GiveGab has released a new integration with 360MatchPro by Double the Donation, the leading provider of matching gifts and volunteer grant software to nonprofits and educational institutions.
The integration connects 360MatchPro to GiveGab Enterprise, GiveGab’s year-round giving solution. GiveGab users can easily integrate 360MatchPro’s automated matching gift identification and follow-up tools into their GiveGab Enterprise online donation forms.
“GiveGab places a high importance on flexible and seamless solutions for busy nonprofits,” said Charlie Mulligan, CEO of GiveGab. “360MatchPro delivers on both. Double the Donation is able to identify more matching gift opportunities and actively follow up on them with personalized outreach to donors, all without disrupting the donation process.”
As donors progress through an GiveGab Enterprise online donation form integrated with 360MatchPro, the system goes to work matching donors with the corporate matching gift and volunteer grant programs they’re eligible for. 360MatchPro then guides donors through the matching gift submission process.
Setup takes minutes, and once the integration is established, nonprofits will immediately begin automatically identifying more matching gift-eligible donors who give.
“Nonprofits are leaving $4-7 million in matching gift revenue on the table every year,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “360MatchPro and GiveGab Enterprise are able to help nonprofits close that gap by addressing donor awareness surrounding these matching gift programs.”
The integration doesn’t just boost nonprofits’ matching gift revenue. The joint solution also opens up other fundraising avenues by delivering actionable statistics and reports back to nonprofits. 360MatchPro will help nonprofits identify their strongest corporate supporters, filterable by characteristics of their matching gift programs and by their percentage representation within the donor base.
With this information and step-by-step reporting of each individual donor’s journey through the matching gift process, 360MatchPro and GiveGab Enterprise greatly enhance nonprofits’ overall fundraising strategy.
Learn more about Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/ or schedule a private demo of 360MatchPro at https://www.360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
Learn more about GiveGab at https://www.givegab.com/.
RaiseDonors Selects Double the Donation as Exclusive Matching Gifts Provider
/0 Comments/in Company Updates, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAtlanta, GA (August 28, 2019) — Double the Donation is excited to share the news of a new matching gifts integration with RaiseDonors and 360MatchPro by Double the Donation, the leading provider of matching gifts and volunteer grant software to nonprofits and educational institutions.
360MatchPro is the industry-leading matching gift automation tool for nonprofits ready to take their matching gift revenue to the next level. When integrated with RaiseDonors online fundraising forms, 360MatchPro automatically identifies and follows up with matching gift-eligible donors without requiring any additional action from nonprofits stretched for time.
“Nonprofits are missing out on millions in matching gift revenue every year, and we wanted to do something about it,” said Stephen Boudreau, Co-Founder of RaiseDonors. “360MatchPro by Double the Donation is the solution to increase fundraising revenue without any coding or lengthy setup — just one click.”
Adding the 360MatchPro streamlined company name search field to RaiseDonors online fundraising forms allows nonprofits to capture donor matching gift eligibility, then automatically present matching gift next steps on the confirmation page and in follow-up email messaging.
Add the 360MatchPro by Double the Donation streamlined employer search field to your RaiseDonors online donation forms.
“The key to increasing matching gift revenue is to address the lack of donor awareness about matching gift and volunteer grant programs,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “The 360MatchPro integration with RaiseDonors online fundraising forms automatically identifies matching gift opportunities even donors had no idea they were eligible for, then guides them through their company’s specific process to get their gift matched.”
Each company with a matching gift program has different program requirements and processes for employees to take to get their gift matched. And with 65% of Fortune 500 companies and many others offering these programs, there are a lot of forms and guidelines to keep track of. Double the Donation’s database of matching gift companies takes the guesswork and time out of the matching gift process, leaving nonprofits time to focus on top opportunities.
Nonprofits can take advantage of this vast database of matching gift programs automatically in the donation process with the integration between RaiseDonors and 360MatchPro by Double the Donation.
Learn more about Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/ or schedule a private demo of 360MatchPro at https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
Learn more about RaiseDonors at https://raisedonors.com/.
360MatchPro by Double the Donation Joins the Ellucian Partner Community with Ethos Connectivity
/0 Comments/in Company Updates, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAtlanta, GA (August 20, 2019) — As school year preparations begin, Double the Donation is proud to join Ellucian, the leading provider of software and services built to power higher education, in partnership to offer a new technical integration. The integration connects Ellucian CRM Advance with 360MatchPro by Double the Donation, the industry-leading matching gift automation tool for nonprofits and educational institutions.
Corporate matching gifts are an underutilized source of fundraising for institutions of higher education. Although 15-19 million individuals in the United States are eligible for matching gift programs, $4-7 billion in matching gift revenue goes unclaimed each year. The joint solution of 360MatchPro and CRM Advance addresses this gap in client potential to turn match eligibility into matched donations.
“When searching for a partner in the matching gift space, we knew that we needed an experienced company focused on technical innovation,” said Kim Coelho, Director of Product Management for the Advancement Solutions Portfolio at Ellucian. “Double the Donation brings a wealth of experience and a forward-thinking technological approach from the greater philanthropy world to our advancement solutions.”
When connected to CRM Advance, 360MatchPro automatically scans gift records for matching gift eligibility. The system then delivers the right forms and instructions to each donor, following up appropriately to drive matches to completion. Thanks to Ellucian Ethos integration, this powerful automation can be activated within minutes, allowing institutions to begin doubling their fundraising revenue instantly.
Since 360MatchPro handles this matching gift identification and follow-up automatically, gift officers and advancement offices can dedicate their valuable time to top opportunities instead of manual outreach.
“Time-saving automation is the key to the value of this joint solution,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “360MatchPro shoulders the burden of research, outreach, and reporting that our clients were doing manually. That leaves time for advanced reporting and targeting manual communications to top matching gift opportunities.”
Learn more about Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/ or schedule a private demo of 360MatchPro at https://360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
To learn more about Ellucian and CRM advance, visit https://www.ellucian.com/solutions/ellucian-crm-advance.
OneCause Announces Double the Donation Matching Gifts Integration with Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Platform
/0 Comments/in Company Updates, Learning Center /by Adam WeingerAtlanta, GA (July 30, 2019) — Double the Donation is proud to bring OneCause, a leader in mobile and social fundraising, into the 360MatchPro partnership ecosystem with an integration to the OneCause Peer-to-Peer Fundraising solution.
With the combined power of the integration, nonprofits can activate and manage their matching gift efforts with ease without even leaving the OneCause Peer-to-Peer Fundraising platform.
“An essential feature of the new OneCause integration is the match forecast,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “With this integration, donors see the highlights of their match expectancy before they donate, which encourages them to take advantage of the matching gift process. Then, 360MatchPro delivers their forms and instructions right to their inbox.”
A match-eligible donor making a contribution through an integrated 360MatchPro-OneCause Peer-to-Peer Fundraising form will know before they even check out whether their gift is eligible to be matched. 360MatchPro’s signature streamlined employer search field prompts the donor to search for their company’s name, then automatically calculates and presents their match expectancy.
360MatchPro by Double the Donation estimates corporate match amount on OneCause peer-to-peer fundraising forms.
“We’re excited to partner with Double the Donation and provide our nonprofit customers a new way to raise additional funds with their peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns,” said Dan Gross, Senior Director of Partnerships for OneCause. “Together we’re committed to improving the giving experience for donors with a more seamless way to increase their impact with a corporate matching gift.”
The 360MatchPro integration tackles the most substantial obstacle standing between nonprofits and their potential matching gift revenue: donor awareness. Even though 15-19 million individuals in the United States are eligible employee matching gifts, $4-7 billion in matching gift revenue does unclaimed annually.
The integration already has traction with users of both Double the Donation and OneCause’s services. Susan G. Komen Greater New York City has implemented the 360MatchPro integration for Komen Greater NYC Race for the Cure, which launched earlier this year.
“We’re longtime 360MatchPro users, and when we made the move to OneCause Peer-to-Peer, we knew that 360MatchPro was the missing piece,” said Glen Peck, Senior Director of Digital Communications at Susan G. Komen Greater New York City. “We loved how fast the integration process was, and we were kept in the loop along the way.”
360MatchPro by Double the Donation can be activated from within the OneCause peer-to-peer fundraising platform.
Any organization accepting donations through OneCause Peer-to-Peer Fundraising can now activate the 360MatchPro integration and instantly begin doubling their contributions. Simply contact your Double the Donation or OneCause account representative for setup information— or, if you’re not already a 360MatchPro client, reach out at https://www.360matchpro.com/demo-request/ to get started.
Learn more about Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/ or schedule a private demo of 360MatchPro at https://www.360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
Learn more about OneCause at https://www.onecause.com/.
Arreva Chooses Double the Donation for Integrated Matching Gifts Provider
/0 Comments/in Company Updates, Learning Center, Press Releases /by Adam WeingerAtlanta, GA (July 24, 2019) — Double the Donation is proud to announce a new strategic partnership with Arreva, trusted leader in fully integrated online fundraising and donor relationship management software.
Arreva clients may now activate matching gift functionality directly from Arreva’s fundraising software and include a streamlined matching gift search tool with the click of a button through 360MatchPro by Double the Donation, a robust, fully-automated matching gifts platform.
Following the transaction, donors will receive their matching gift next steps directly on the donation confirmation screen and in automated follow-up email messaging. This streamlined, frictionless experience ensures that donors take advantage of the matching gift programs for which they’re eligible, helping nonprofit organizations maximize their fundraising opportunities. 360MatchPro synthesizes all the organization’s matching gift data and presents actionable insights that can be used to even further enhance their matching gift efforts.
Donors can submit their matching gift request from the Arreva confirmation page. Note: Matching gift information abridged in image.
“We’re thrilled to bring yet another incredibly valuable integration to our clients through our fully integrated online fundraising and donor relationship management software,” said David Blyer, CEO of Arreva.
Susan Packard Orr, chairman of Arreva adds “Arreva is dedicated to our clients’ success by helping them optimize their fundraising through best-in-class technology and fundraising best practices. With 360MatchPro, Arreva clients now have a powerful new tool to increase average donation size and volume without asking more from donors. The streamlined integrated donor experience helps nonprofit organizations run successful matching gift programs with much less effort and greater results.”
Donors giving through the Arreva online fundraising form, integrated with 360MatchPro, will be automatically screened for matching gift eligibility and their transaction and employer information will be recorded in the Arreva platform. 360MatchPro synthesizes all of the organization’s matching gift data and presents actionable insights that can be used to enhance their matching gift efforts.
The Arreva form builder makes it easy to prompt donors to get their donations matched.
“Lack of donor awareness is the number one reason for the $4-7 billion in matching gift revenue left on the table every year,” said Adam Weinger, President of Double the Donation. “We are delighted to be working with Arreva and their many clients. Our strategic partnership with Arreva and integration of 360MatchPro with their fundraising platform closes the donor awareness gap for organizations, allowing them to significantly increase their matching gift revenue using Arreva’s robust software.”
Learn more about Arreva at https://www.arreva.com/ or schedule a private demo of Arreva’s fully integrated online fundraising and donor relationship management software at https://go.arreva.com/schedule-demo/.
Learn more more about Double the Donation at https://doublethedonation.com/ or schedule a private demo of 360MatchPro at https://www.360matchpro.com/demo-request/.
8 Ways to Make Your Nonprofit Website More Accessible
/0 Comments/in Learning Center /by Adam WeingerThis post was contributed by Elevation and written by Lauren Uhl.
Today in the United States, all those with disabilities are entitled to equal access in public facilities. This means building ramps and elevators, accommodating bathrooms with handicapped stalls, sectioning off one/two parking spots in the front, and more. Think of the internet and your website this same way: you have to intentionally consider those with disabilities when creating and maintaining your website. Such actions should not be considered laborious favor: they are, in fact, legally required. Those who proactively consider accessibility measures on their website will allow all types of users to partake in their online experience, whilst avoiding potential lawsuits. Check out these 8 ways to make your website more accessible.
Download this information in a handy infographic here!
What is Website Accessibility?
Let’s backup a little bit: what is website accessibility all about? Similar to accessibility in the real world, website accessibility is designed to accommodate diverse users on the internet. This includes those with auditory, visual, neurological, physical, and speech special needs, as well as those with old age and slow internet. Nonprofit website designers must consider ways their color layouts, text content, and overall structure can reach these diverse populations.
Accompany color indicated text with additional indicating text/images
We use color indications in many places around the world: with stoplights, warning signs, and more. While it may feel natural to change content colors based on connotations (i.e. red means stop/important, green means good/safe…) those maintaining and designing websites should keep colorblind, visually impaired, and epileptic populations in mind. Of course, you can change the text color for meaning, but that should not be the only indication of meaning. This means (for example) marking important content in red AND accompanying it with additional text that reinforces the text’s importance.
Use appropriate contrast on text and images
It’s also important to color contrast on your website. According to Web Accessibility In Mind, texts and images should maintain a contrast ratio of 4:5. While larger text requires a contrast of at least 3:1, smaller text, images, and logotypes, in general, are exempt from such requirement. You can check your color contrast here for more information.
Use a minimum font size of 16
The bread and butter of your nonprofit website is (most likely) the text content. Therefore, it’s absolutely essential that the text is accessible.
The first and probably easiest fix is making all text a minimum size of 16. Of course, you can make the text bigger, but any smaller may result in a legal issue.
Add closed captions and/or transcripts for videos
Next, ensure that all videos have closed captions and a manuscript to accompany it. That way, those with hearing impairments/faulty computers can still access information shared in the video.
Use Alt-text on all images
Check that images have a descriptive blurb, or alt-text. While every content management system is slightly different, they all should have a way to add alt-text to your images.
Allow flexible navigation time-limits
While seamless navigation is already a strong priority for user experience, it also helps those in underdeveloped areas and those with faulty service access the website contents.
Website designers should allow users flexible time limits. Some websites force users to log back into the website after a given time period: such improves security, but it also can hurt those with slow internet. Be sure to add flexibility into time-sensitive areas in your website so you can maintain some level of security while also accommodating users with slower service. Whether you add warning messages on time limits or some other indicating method, this will improve both user experience and accessibility in developing areas.
Allow full website navigation via keyboard actions
The website should be completed navigable through keyboard actions. That way, users without a computer mouse can still be able to jump around the website. Elevation Web uses the wordpress plugin from userway.org.
Add concise text for error messages
Finally, when coding error messages, be sure to make them concise. Simply displaying an icon (i.e. red exclamation point) may mean “warning” to someone from western cultures, however, such may confuse other demographics. If you want to include some image/icon with a warning message, be sure to accompany it with a concise explanation for the error.
Software Help in Accessibility
To be safe, website maintenance staff should assess the website’s accessibility bimonthly or more. Below are some helpful resources for accessibility assessments:
This post was contributed by Lauren Uhl at Elevation.
Lauren Uhl is a copywriter at Elevation, a full-service nonprofit web design agency. Lauren earned her B.A. in English Literature, Secondary Education, and Philosophy from Gonzaga University and is currently studying for her M.Ed. at the University of Portland. Lauren believes writing can change the world: that’s why she teaches middle-schoolers Language Arts and History through a social justice lens. More than anything, she hopes that she can find the right words when people need it the most.
How to Encourage Matching Gifts Using Marketing Automation
/0 Comments/in Learning Center /by Adam WeingerNo matter the product, businesses equally strive to convert leads to valuable customers. In order to do so, they foster their potential customers throughout their journey from awareness to conversion. Marketers call this process a ‘conversion funnel’ and the best conversion funnels are made possible by email marketing platforms that offer the best marketing automation software solutions.
Yet another industry where the automation of conversion funnel work wonders as a marketing strategy is matching gifts.
When it comes to the non-profit world, every dollar matters. At such a scenario, ‘matching’ gifts turn every dollar into two. To put it simply, matching gifts are donations that a company give to the same non-profit their employee donated to.
‘Matching gifts’ is a great way to show support, and to make the world a better place. After all, all it takes for a company to donate is a request from their employees.
But still, the question remains as of how you will get your donors to ask for a matching gift from their company. Marketing Automation!
Conversion Funnel Basics
Let’s begin with understanding the conversion funnel. Typically, a conversion funnel is differentiated into four or five stages based on which a company uses marketing strategies to guide target audience from finding of the company to taking the desired action which can be buying their services or asking their company for a matching gift. Many businesses also incorporate post-sale activities into the conversion funnel to keep the customers coming back for more services.
As we go forward through the marketing funnel, each stage grows narrower than the previous because not every individual who hears about your offering will be interested, and not every interested individual will go on to ask their company for a matching gift.
Stages Of Marketing Automation Sales Funnel & Matching Gifts
Awareness
The first stage emphasis on activities that help you introduce your brand and your offer to your audiences. Segmentation is critical to this step because targeting the wrong audience can bring down your conversion rate alongside wasting time and blowing your marketing dollars away.
You can employ your website, newsletters, and leverage social media to position your brand. Nevertheless, make sure that you pique the interest of your contacts so that they take the desired action. Use proven templates and marketing automation software solutions as the layouts, copy, and graphics play a key role here in determining the success rate of this stage.
Matching Gift Pages
In order to reap the benefits of your donors’ matching gift program, you will have to invest in setting up an educational matching gifts page to your website. Through a matching gift page, you can provide your donors with the necessary background information about matching gifts, and the companies that will match employee gifts to nonprofits.
Include the following in your matching gift page:
The bottom line is that you keep your matching gift page a central hub of all the information that your audience requires and could refer to.
Newsletters
Another marketing strategy that you can adapt to spread awareness about matching gifts is to include them in your newsletters. Regularly incorporating information about matching gift in your newsletter can work wonders in bringing you increased matching gift request completions.
You don’t have to work a great deal on making your newsletter look extravagant. Rather, keep it simple with an effective headline, and explain what corporate matching gift programs are.
Remember to give a link that takes your audience to your dedicated matching gift page and include an engaging graphic there as it will make your donors feel compelled to know more about their eligibility.
Social Media
With so much importance being placed on social media these days, nonprofits have made their appearance there to promote matching gifts. Building your presence on social media gives your donors an option to interact with you through their preferred medium other than email.
Additionally, as your loyal donors share information about matching gifts online, there are chances that people from their network who come across their feeds become your new donors.
Consideration
Once you have gained leads from the first stage, it’s time you start cultivating an interest in order for them to move forward and buy your products and services. Use a marketing automation software solution to create attention-grabbing email campaigns such as email autoresponders and drip campaigns.
Email Campaigns
Though we did talk about leveraging social media, you shouldn’t shy away from using email campaigns because it is more effective than you actually think it is.
Your donors will be in the height of giving mood then they are in the donation process. They believe in your cause and want to support it no matter what. Grab this opportunity to send them a strategic automated confirmation or thank you email asking the donors to take a small extra step to take their donation further.
Try including matching gift plugin, or helpful images. Also, be clear about the instruction, and make it sound as simple and easy as it can be.
Action
This is the stage that you have been working for up till now, the time of conversion when a lead decides to take the desired action that you have been guiding them to. This is when your donor asks their company to make a matching gift. As the marketing funnel is now slimming down to its narrow end, you need to bring your sales team in to give that final push.
Your job here is to make taking the action process as simple as possible. Provide clear instructions, and use a marketing automation software tool to send ‘abandoned cart’ emails to try and get back your donors to complete the process. You can also do the following to maximize the results.
Retention
Immediately after your donor completes the desired action and converts, you should start living up to the expectations that you had set up. Make sure that they stay satisfied, and do all that is there in your limit to maintain the relationship.
Fundraising Reminders & Invitations
Event invitations and reminders make donors happy just the way candies make children happy. Invitations for fun fundraising events are always something that donors enjoy receiving.
Keep your invitations compelling. Use a great subject line, and give a review of the past highlights if possible. After the fundraising events, send updates to your donors’ inboxes and follow up with them.
Wrap Up
A perfectly defined sales funnel is a surefire way to increase conversions. Moreover, using automation improves financial metrics and presents your donors with a more satisfactory experience that won’t make them feel like they are being guided down a funnel.
This post was contributed by Luda Greko at ActiveTrail.
Luda Greko is the Head of Content Marketing at ActiveTrail, a leading provider of professional-grade email marketing and automation software for growing businesses. By day she writes for top online marketing sites about email marketing and marketing automation, and by night she is a lifestyle blogger and a social media enthusiast.